Canadian professional wrestler “Handsome” John Anson, who also competed as Karl von Schotz, has died at the age of 77.
The Wrestling Observer first reported on Saturday that it had been informed of Anson’s death in Sosúa, Dominican Republic, where he had lived for approximately 25 years. Slam Wrestling subsequently confirmed his death.
At the time of writing, a cause of death has not been reported.
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 7, 1949, Anson began wrestling as a teenager. In a 1998 interview with Slam Wrestling’s Greg Oliver, he recalled making his Stampede Wrestling debut at 17 against Ivan Koloff and losing in approximately 30 seconds.
His career changed after he was brought to Montreal to portray a German villain. Anson shaved his head and became Karl von Schotz, teaming extensively with fellow Canadian Kurt von Hess.
The pair became a prominent heel team across Montreal, Toronto, Detroit and other territories in the early 1970s. They held the Detroit version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship multiple times and feuded extensively with Fred Curry and Tony Marino.
Von Schotz and von Hess also held tag championships in Montreal and the National Wrestling Federation, and were recognized as NWA North American Tag Team Champions during a 1974 tour involving New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Away from the von Schotz character, he continued working as “Handsome” John Anson, particularly in western Canada. His greatest singles success came with Stampede, where he held its North American Heavyweight Championship twice in 1976.
Anson also won championships in Vancouver, Portland and Hawaii during a career that took him throughout Canada and the United States, as well as to Japan.
Anson told Oliver that his travels distinguished him among Canadian wrestlers of the era.
“I was one of the few Canadians that went international. I did a lot of travelling around.”
He also remembered Stampede as a territory where wrestlers went to learn and improve, describing promoter Stu Hart as “an excellent promoter.”
In the same interview, Anson said he received opportunities against NWA World Heavyweight Champions Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski, Dory Funk Jr. and Harley Race without winning the championship.
He estimated that he competed in more than 6,000 matches and was predominantly cast as a heel, at times working with managers including Bobby Heenan and Eddie Creatchman.
Anson remained in touch with figures from his wrestling years long after leaving the ring. In a 2006 Slam Wrestling feature on Earl Black, Anson contributed memories by email from the Dominican Republic, recalling Black as a particularly tough contemporary and reflecting on the volatile atmosphere surrounding wrestling during their era.
He retired from active competition in 1983.
Looking back in 1998, Anson said the physical toll of the profession contributed to his decision, adding: “I got in early, I got out early.” He later briefly promoted wrestling in Ontario and Newfoundland alongside The Sheik and Jack Kane.
Outside wrestling, he owned a marina and resort near Vancouver before eventually settling in the Caribbean.
